Donald Kauerauf, the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, speaks during a press conference at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on July 21, 2021

Before ouster, Missouri health director drafted a letter to senators that was never sent

(Missouri Independent) – On the Friday before a drawn-out confirmation battle ended with his ouster from office, Missouri state Health Director Donald Kauerauf wrote an impassioned letter meant to convince conservative legislators who were on the fence about his appointment.  The message: While he believed in vaccines and data and science, he didn’t believe in vaccine […]

Rotary Website

North Central Missouri College Director of Marketing and Admissions give presentation at Trenton Rotary Club meeting

North Central Missouri College Director of Marketing and Admissions Megan Pester spoke at the Trenton Rotary Club meeting on February 10. Pester has worked at NCMC since 2008 and has served in multiple roles. She has served in her present position for two years. She oversees marketing, admissions, and the extended campus in Andrew County. […]

Josh Hawley Courtesy of Missourinet

Hawley questions why Department of Homeland Security is focusing on “Woke Climate Agenda” instead of border crisis

Senator Josh Hawley wrote to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding answers on the agency’s Climate Change Professionals Program and why they are focusing on woke partisan government programs while ignoring the crisis at our southern border. Senator Hawley wrote, “In a press release, you said, ’The Climate Change Professionals Program will be instrumental in […]

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Audio: Missouri man arrested for reportedly threatening people with a flamethrower

A Missouri man is looking at three federal felonies after being accused of posting video messages threatening people with a flamethrower on Facebook.     Authorities say they discovered several weapons, including an AR-15 style rifle, in 19-year-old Levi McCrorey home, He’s accused of multiple charges including illegal firearms possession During their investigation, The Kansas […]

Child Sex Crimes news graphic

Brookfield man facing child sex crime charges in Linn County, now facing child sex crime charges in Livingston County

A Brookfield man charged with felony first-degree rape or attempted rape in Linn County faces felony charges in Livingston County. Twenty-four-year-old Timothy David Marles II has been charged in Livingston County with two counts of enticement or attempted enticement of a child. No bond is allowed. A probable cause statement says Marles began an online […]

United States Supreme Court (Phot credit Laura Olson - States Newsroom)

Supreme Court appears wary of Biden vaccine-or-test employer mandate

(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared unconvinced Friday of the Biden administration’s authority to impose a vaccine-or-test mandate on private businesses, casting doubt on a key piece of the White House COVID-19 response. The justices seemed potentially more comfortable with another Biden administration rule to fight the virus that requires certain […]

School buses wait Tuesday outside Thomas Hart Benton Elementary School in Columbia (Photo Credit Rudi Keller Missouri Independent

Confusion around COVID ruling swirls as two Missouri school districts end semester early

(Missouri Independent) – As a growing number of Missouri school districts drop COVID mitigation measures under threat from Attorney General Eric Schmitt, at least two closed the doors on their fall semester early due to large numbers of staff and students out sick. Meanwhile, local public health departments said Tuesday they still have not heard […]

Mitchell Lovelace Booking Photo

Audio: Missouri man arrested for allegedly threatening to open fire at high school “in the name of Kyle Rittenhouse”

An eastern Missouri man has been charged after allegedly threatening to open fire at a high school. Festus Police Chief Tim Lewis says 27-year-old Mitchell Lovelace reportedly posted the threatening message Saturday night against Festus High School.     Rittenhouse took an AR-15-style gun to a Wisconsin riot last year – shooting to death two […]